Mechanism for knitting reinforced fabrics



R. W. SCOTT.

MECHANISM FOR KNITTING REINFORCED FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29,1917- 1 ,373,770. Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

R. W. SCOTT.

MECHANISM FOR KNITTING REINFORCED FABRICS.

APPLlCATlON FILED JUNE 29,1917.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET Z.

UNITED STATES ROBERT W. SCOTT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, T0 SCOTT & WILLIAMS, INCORPORATED, A CORIPOBATIQN OFMASSACHUSETTS.

MECHANISM FOR KNITTING REINFORCED FABRICS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5,1?)21.

Original application filed September 11, 1916, Serial No. 119,331.Divided and this application filed June 29, 1917. Serial No. 177,702.

1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1 ROBERT W. Scorn, a citizen ofthe United States, andresident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for KnittingReinforced Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machine-knitting sectionally spliced orreinforced fabrics with definite margins and either without projectingyarn-ends, or without such ends of undue length, on a series ofinstruments such as ordinary knitting machine needles.

Fabrics of this general nature have heretofore been produced only byreciprocatory knitting, in which case the traverse of the splicing yarnis limited to the width of a series of needles defining the splicedarea, and the margins of the spliced area are characterized by reversalsof the splicing yarn. When the knitting is tubular or circulatory, thespliced area has heretofore been defined by entering and withdrawing asplicing yarn from contact with the needles of the desired series duringprogress of the knitting, or by causing a different movement of theseneedles only to enable them to take the yarn; or by clamping thesplicing yarn to break it, and releasing the broken end in contact withthe body yarn, to cause it again to run in. In any of these cases thelateral margins of the spliced area are defined b the places of entranceand withdrawal 0'' the splicing yarn, or by the irregularly placedbeginning and end of the clamped and broken yarn. At one or the other orboth of these margins the splicing yarn, when entered and removed fromthe needles, necessarily is cut or broken at a place more or lessremoved from the suriace of the fabric, leaving an unsightly yarnendgreater or less extent, Such entrance or removal of the yarn as amachine function necessarily involves the accurate timing of the motionof either the splicing yarn or the needles or both, at entrance andremoval of the splicing yarn. Such timing has seldom been secured ofsuch accuracy as infallibly to enter or remove the splicing yarn at thepassage ofthe same needles for course after course, and when secured hasnecessitated mechanisms diliicult to adjust and maintain in adjustmentin the hands of unskilled operators. Then entry has been by friction ofthe body yarn and removal by clamping or severing the running yarn, themargins of the spliced area have been irregular and uncertain.

hen the splicing yarn is removed from a tubular knit fabric at themargin of a reinforced area by any of the prior devices for forming suchareas,the relative travel of the needles in respect of the severingmeans has heretofore determined that it shall be severed from the fabricat a point distant from the fabric by at least the dimensions of thesevering implement and a safe distance between it and the fabric; and inthe case of the best practice, the severed supply-end has been held orclamped for reinsertion at a point short of the severed end at the leastby the dimensions of the clamping instrument.

An alternative and usual practice has been to float a run of splicingyarn from exit point to entrance point, and thereafter to cut away thisfloat, still leaving ends projecting from the fabric, and thus causingas an additional defect a serious waste of the floated length of yarn.

The present invention has for its princi-' pal object to avoid thedefective results above mentioned and thereby to provide for reinforcinga predetermined area of fabric having definite margins at any desired1on gitudinal wales of the fabric, as well as to provide means formaking at both the leading and following margin an edge of the reinforced area wholly free from projecting ends of yarn, or from suchends of any substantial or detrimental length, said means being adaptedto so operate as to use all and waste none of the splicing yarn.

Further objects are to provide machine devices for the above purposesadapted to be employed in machines, for instance hosiery machines ofexisting kinds, without changes affecting the ordinary operation of themachine, and to provide such mechanism applicable to machines havingdials. Other objects are to provide for the incorporation in the fabricof separate measured lengths or runs of reinforcing yarn during thecontinuous operation of the machine, and for placing said measuredlengths or runs in a predetermined relation to the needles and thefabric produced thereby. Still further objects of the invention are toprovide for accomplishing the above purposes without causing a repeatedextensive movement of a yarn guide or guides, and to avoid the necessityfor rapid movements of the yarn laterally into and out of contact withthe needles. A further object is to enable the existing devices :torchanging, cutting and clamping yar .s to be employed at the beginningand end of the formation of the spliced area to sever and hold thesplicing yarn.

In pursuance of the above objects, my invention involves a new principleof operation. .By creating a knitting wave in a series of knittinginstruments and then feeding a main yarn and a splicing yarn atdifferent angles of advance, so that between a selected pair of needleslying between a knitting wave and the point of exit from the yarnguidingmeans for the respective yarns,

there is provided a separation between the knitting yarn and thesplicing yarn enabling the splicing yarn to be (1) severed in placeonthe needles to end its insertion, an d (2) seized in respect to theneedles to begin its insertion. When the yarn is severed in this mannerthe cut-off end of the yarn then runs in a channel determined by theneedle hooks, and the closed needle latches, if the machine is a latchneedle machine. This end of yarn, now relatively stationary with respectto the running needles, stays in the channel so formed until thesplicing yarn is again to accompany the knitting; yarn when it seized inrespect to the needles by a device traveling with the needles operatingas the case of the cutting device between the knitting pointpropor andthe yarn guides or fingers; The instruments both for cutting and Forclamping the yarn in relation to the needles to again begin feeding itmay be formed as a part of the usual web-holders, the verticalseparation of the yarns enabling a sharpened edge on one severingweb-holder (which is given a abnormally early increment of insertion) totake against and cut the splicing; yarn between needle Walespredetermined by the position 01 this web-holder in re ation to theneedles making said wales; and another web-holder at the beginning ofthe splicing area. being adapted to seize or aid in seizing the end ofyarn, as by having a splicing-yarn seizing notch therein, so that at anabnormally early projection of this seizing; web-holder, the trailingend otthe splicing yarn is grasped, the next following needle inevitablytaking this end of. the splicing yarn into the knitting wave proper.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a vertical central section of a knitting machine embodyingdevices illustrating the invention;

Fig. 2 is under plan view of a webarea A and a plain or body fabric areall.

holder cam cap forming a part oi": said machine;

Figs. 3, 4-, and 6 are diagram internal developments oi a series orneedles employed in the said machine, illustrating the operation ofcertain instruments below to be described Fig. 7 and S are sections onthe line 7--T of Fig. 2 respectively sl'iowing the passauygc ofinstruments at the leading and at the following edges of the splicedarea;

Fig. 9 is an end view of u modification oi" a yarn seizing web-holder;

igs. 10 and ll are diagrams illustrating the knitting of spliced andunspliced portiens in the same course;

Fig. 12 is an elevation of a further modification oi the yz'irn-seizingweb-holder; and

Fig. 13 is an elevation o'lf a fragment of the web-holder cam cap shownin Fig. 2.

Referring now to Figs. ill and ll, the 1otary needle cylinder circularmachine selected tor illustration is adapted to knit a tubula ital. ieby circular knitting on a. series or needles rotatingin the direction ofthe arrows a in said figures, and the invention will he described inconnection with the production oi? fabric haring a reinforcedextendingfor a pli'u'ality of courses in the direction oi the length ofthe fabric, upon such a machine. li hile the area .i may he at anydesired part, separated parts. oi? the circum'lercncc t the tube, onillustratire instance of one area only is shown ocrupying about half oithe tube. But it will be understood that the new iustriuueuls cm ploycdare adapted For use without change in stra and other types oi machinesmaking nihrics of various kinds. or in clirulur machines in which theyarn l'eed levices and cam carrier rotate wilh respe t to a relativelylined needle carrier.

Referring to Fig. l. the needles :1 oi any desired s rt. shown as lat-chneed es, may be suitably mounted in a needle carrier see and actuated bythe usual knitting cams (not shown) on a cam carrier Q in the usualmanner to l 'lHHllUQ a length of lulu-iior :1 lcuit article such as astocking Coiiperatiug with the needles 1! and hold. to l dc in theradially grooved law 5295 lhc web-holders w are prwvidcd to per-- mtheir customary function. .ls illus trated in Figs. 1 and 9, aweb-'lioldcr cam cap 300, held relatively stationary with respect to therotating needles and web-holders, comprises a withdrawingcam 30?) andadjusteble advancing cams 309, S09 acting upon butts to of theweb-holders w. to more them out and in with respect to the retractingand advancing needles. The normal wave caused by cams 306 and 309 whenthe machine is employed in circular knitting, relative travel of theweb-holder butts bein relation to the wave of movement in theweb-holders about at the point 76 illustrated in Figs. 2, and 3 to 6.

As now usual in such machines, any desired series 01'? the web-holdersin may be arranged to be moved in at an earlier time than the normal, topredetermine a longer stitch, a movable cam 312 being provided on cap300 to engage extra long butts (not shown) of some of the web holdersfor that purpose. When this cam is inwardly positioned (for instance, bythe means fully shown in my Letters Patent N01 1,152,850, datedSeptember 7, 1915, for this purpose), the longer web-holders move inwardon the line Vi Fig. 2, at an earlier time than the normal web-holders,to determine longer stitches. The stitches throughout areas A may belengthened by this means.

' Yarn is fed to the needles from a yarn teed opening or throat. whichmay be the upper side of a channel plate 7 adapted to determine thelower operative position, under stress of spring 8, of a series of yarnteed fingers F pivoted at 554-. One of these, as that finger F nearestthe observer in Fig. 1 and at the left in Figs. 3 to 6, carries asplicing yarn s, the finger F being associated with means for clampingits yarn, as by having a foot 2 adapted to stand on the throat-plate andclamp the yarn s between said plate and the foot 2.

Another one of the fingers F as usual carries the main or body yarn y.The yarn y and yarn s are by the above (or any preferred) means fed tothe needles at a dittterent lead or angle of advance, splicing yarn abeing fed from a point nearer the knitting point Zc than the body yarn z(see Figs. 3 to 6).

The yarn fingers or guides F, F may be lifted at times to inoperativepositions by the operation (it suitable automatic means, such as one ofthe thrust bars 460 resting; at their lower ends on a pattern surtaee ordrum 1% havine; cams for lifting the bars 460 and guides F, F to anupper inoperative position as shown at Fig. l. and when any of theguides is so positioned its yarn. thereby removed from the tabrie, iscarried into a suitable severing device and clamp. such as the guide604, clamp 602. and shears 608 operated by the lever (ill and a thrustbar 460 from the pattern surface, which parts may be constructed andoperate as (Z, which when the pattern drum 120 permits the bar 460 torest, as shown, in a lower position normally clamping the splicing yarn5 against the plate f, lies in the plane of a cam 296 attached to androtating with the webholder bed 295. This cam may be constructedsubstantially as shown in Fig. 29 of my said Patent l lo. 1,152,850,with adjustable ends, whereby accurately and adjustably to determinewith respect to the series of needles it the position at which the lug(Z will be moved by the cam 296. When the lug cl is so moved, bar 4-60rocks on the adjustable stop a *esting on comb 4-51, and near the end ofits movement away from the center of the cylinder 260 encounters a camsurface It on the guide F thereby lifting the foot 2 slightly above theplate 7 to release the yarn s.

If desired, any suitable or known device ope 'ating on the yarn s toslacken it when it not being; fed may be employed between the source ofsupply and the clamp 2. f.

The splicing; yarn may be originally entered upon the needles in anyordinary or usual manner, tor instance by moving the splicingyarn fingerl? :trom the position shown at 5, the s 'ilicing' yarn then being heldin the clamp down to the operative position shown in Fig. 1, thismovement being occasioned by pattern surface 120 and occurring when thecam 296 is positioned to hold the toot 2 away from the plate 5 to permitthe splicing yarn tobe entered and to pass into the knitting wave asusual. At this initial entrance of the splicing yarn a singleprojecting}: end of yarn 8 representing the yarn extending to the clamp602 is left on the inside ot the tabric.

lit predetermined places among the needles, instead of one of theweb-holders 0.0, one or more severing web-holders X each having; aweb-holder notch 10 a beak w and a sharpened upper surface a is placedin a groove in the bed 295 between two of the needles Figs. 3 to '8. and8). Referrin to Figs. 3 and 4, this severing: webholuer is adapted to beoperated for the o dinary web-holder functions with respect to the yarn7 but by reason of the ditierence in lead between the yarn 3/ and vtheyarn s the beak 10 it adapted. to ake between the split-Jim); yarnentering the needles and the body yarn 3 (l'iiITi'lllfl' the needlesupon giving' the severing: web-holder an inward movement at an earliertime than the normal inward movement ot the web-holders. The action ofthe needles thereafter serves to draw against its upper sharpened.surface 10 that portion of the yarn 8 taken between two adjacentneedles. The result is to sever the splicing yarn between two.predetermined needle wales. as illustrated in Fig, 41-. the leadingsevered end a iasing immediately bound into the knit stitch beginning tobe formed when the severing operation takes place. For clearness, Figs.3 to 6 do not show the previously knit courses.

The following severed portion .9 is left free in the hook of the leadingneedle 01. of those needles upon which reinforced fabric is not to beformed. The severing action may be and preferably is aided by permittingthe yarn guide F to clamp the splicing yarn by means of its foot 2 atthis time, the lug cZ then running off the adjustable rear end of thecam 296. In some cases, however, a suitable tension on the yarn 8 may beemployed, the devices for clamping and slackening the yarn 8 beingdispensed with.

The end 8 of the yarn 8 having been cut by the described means at apredetermined place with respect to the yarn guide F, and the end of theyarn 8 being clamped, the said end .9 then lies in the hooks of theneedles n, and in a virtually tubular pas sage defined by the closedlatches of the needles traveling down the knitting-wave and the nearbyhooks of the web-holders w. No ordinary movement of the machine canwithdraw the yarn end 5 so positioned, further relative movement of theneedles with respect to the guide F occurring without 7 changing theposition of the end 8 (Figs. 4 and 11), which remalns in contact withthe needles during the knitting-of the yarn y alone for the remainder,or any desired part of the remainder, of the course.

To enable the'yarn 8 again to be fed be ginning at a predeterminedneedle without any appreciable projecting end, the machine is alsoprovided with a seizing web-holder Y, best shown in Fig, 7, at theleading edge of each area A. This instrument'has a yarn throat e0functioning as an ordinary webholder, and a beak @0 preferably somewhathigher than the corresponding beak Q0 of the severing web-holder, and asecond beak 10 separated by a notch w between the beaks and at a heightto take over the end 8 of the yarn s lying in the described relation tothe needles. If the seizing webholdcr Y is now given an inward movementat an earlier time than the normal'webholders, the end s of the splicingyarn taken in the notch of the seizing instrument will be bent aroundthe leading needle n of that series upon which reinforced fabric is tobe knit, and so determine the entrance of the splicing yarn and themargin of the spliced area A at the wale from this predetermined needle11?. This action maybe aided by causing the needle 02 and the seizingwebholder Y to clamp the end 5 of the yarn s between them. vOne way ofdoing this is illustrated in Fig. 5, the needle n being bent to the leftas shown, to rub against one face of the seizing web-holder Y.Alternatively, as illustrated in Flg. 9, the webholder Y may belaterally offset to the rear with respect to the direction of motion ofthe needles as shown, so as to rub against and clamp the yarn withrespect to a straight leading needle 12 or a comparatively thick seizingweb-holder Y may be employed between normal needles.

As shown in Fig. 12, a modified form of seizing web-holder Y may beemployed having a notch 10 on its relatively high top 12, and a beak 14at the same height as the beak w of the form above described. Sciz ingweb-holder Y is adapted to be moved forward a shorter distance than thewebholder Y, the downward movement of the needle 12 taking the yarn-enda against its side face, with the same effect as above described.

Referring now to Figs. 10 and 11, the relative location of the knittingwave Z: and the yarn guides F and F being as shown, the place ofactuation of the severing webholder X may be at the point C, and theplace of operation of the seizing web-holder Y may be at the point H,both lying between the knitting point and the respective yarn guides.

Inasmuch as both the seizing web-holder and the severing web-holdertravel with the needles, clamping of the yarn end .9 with respect to theneedle 11 insures entrance of the splicing yarn at the wale from thisneodle, and the manner of performing the operation insures a minimumlength of the end 3 with respect to the surface of the fabric. Inpractice, this end may be so short as to be buried in the ensuing stitchtaken on the needle M. The length of this end is determined by therelative position of the points C and H, or by the relative time ofopening of clamp 2, f, or by both.

Whenever the seizing web-holder Y is operated the splicing yarn may bereleased by the operation of thrust bar L60 and cam 290 to open clamp 2,f. The relative times of releasing the yarn s and actuating the seizingweb-holder Y are accurately related by rotation together of the parts Yand 296 as attachments of the bed 295.

At the longitudinal end of the spliced area, the yarn guide F is movedto the position shown at 5 by the action of the cam surface 120 on itsthrust bar, and the yarn a is received by the guide 604-, clamped at 602and cut at 608 until it is desired again to splice a part of the tube,when the operation is repeated.

Any desired means may be employed for giving the described movements tothe seizing web-holder and the severing web-holder, but I prefer themeans shown in Figs. 2. 7 and 8, comprising tails m and y at differentvertical positions on the respective severin web-holder X and seizingwebholder if, and suitably positioned cams 25 and 26 respectivelyoperating the severing and seizing devices. As shown, these cams may bemounted on any suitable part such as the web-holder cap 300, andpreferably are arranged for independent adjustment radially andcircumferentially. For instance, a circumferential upturned portion 27,28 of each cam may be slotted for a common holding screw 29, therespective parts being spaced from each other and the cam cap by washers30, the part 28 of cam 26 having a screw 31 for independently clampingit, and a screw 33 in the cam cap free in slots 3% of different widthsin parts 27, 28, for radially adjusting part 28 and cam 26 only. Cam maybe independently radially adjusted by a large headed screw 31 in theslots 84;, the mounting parts 27, of both cams being slightly resilient.When the cams are'adjusted, the beaks of the severing and seizingweb-holders move inwardly under the influence of the respective cams 26and 25, at the proper time, for instance shown at m and y in Fig. 2.

l i hat I claim is:

1. A knitting machine having therein needles, means operating ontheneedles to knit theroat, means adapted to guide a plurality of yarns tothe needles simultaneously and in different operative positions inrelation to the needles, in combination with means for severing one ofsaid yarns only at the needles and while said yarn is in its normaloperative position, whereby to end the inclusion of said yarn at apredetermined place in respect to and within pre, determii'ied loop ofthe fabric, and means for subse guently causing the needles to take thesevered end of the yarn.

2. A. knitting machine having therein needles, means operating on theneedles to knit thereat, means adapted to guide a plurality of yarns tothe needles simultaneously in different positions, means for severingone of said yarns at the needles to end its inclusion in the fabric, andmeans for seizing in respect to one of the needles the severed. end ofthe yarn to determine its further insertion.

3. A lniitting machine having therein needles, means operating on theneedles to knit thereat, means adapted tdguide a plurality of yarns tothe needles simultaneously in different positions, means for severingone of said yarns between adjacent needles to end its inclusion in thefabric, and means adapted to cooperate with one of the needles to seizethe severed end of the yarn between said needle and said means todetermine its further insertion.

4. Sectional splicing means for knitting machines comprising incombination a yarnguide adapted to be maintained in operative positionduring knitting of a section of fabric containing the spliced area, aseries of needles, means adapted to cause a certain needle of saidseries to seize a free end of the splicing yarn fed by said guide, andmeans for severing the said splicing yarn in place on the series ofneedles to end its inclusion in the fabric and provide a free end forrepeating the operation.

Sectional splicing means for knitting machines comprising in combinationa series of needles, a body and a splicing yarn-guide both adapted to bemaintained in operative position to feed their yarns at different anglesto said needles during knitting of a section of fabric containing thespliced area, means working at the position taken by the splicing yarnto cause a needle at one place in said series to seize an end of thesplicing yarn fed by said splicing yarnguide, and means acting on theyarns atthe needlesfor severing the said splicing yarn only in place onthe series of needles at another place.

6. Sectional splicing means for knitting achines comprising incombination a yarnguide adapted to be maintained in operative positionduring knitting of a section of fab ric containing the spliced area, aseries of needles, means adapted to cause a needle of said series toseize an end of the splicing yarn fed by said guide, means for severingthe said splicing yarn at another place in the series of needles, andmeans for clamping the severed yarn in respect to its yarn guide thesevered end remaining in trailing contact with the needles.

'7. Yarn feeding means for knitting machines comprising in combination ayarnguide adapted to be maintained in operative position during knittingof a section of fabric containing the yarn therefrom, a series ofneedles, means adapted to cause a predetermined needle of said series toseine an end of the yarn fed by said guide, means for severing the saidyarn at another place in the series of needles, means for clamping thesevered yarn, whereby to trail the end thereof in contact with theneedles, and means for releasing the said clamping means upon seizure ofthe yarn.

8. A knitting machine havingtherein a series of needles and means forknitting on said needles and yarn severing means acting to sever a yarnbetween adjacent needles of said series and substantially in the planeof the fabric.

9. A knitting machine having therein yarn severing means acting; tosever a yarn between a predetermined pair of adjacent needles adapted tobe actuated to knit and substantially in the plane of the fabric.

10. A knitting machine having therein, in combination, needles and meansfor operating them to knit a plurality of yarns, and yarn severing meanscooperating with one of the yarns where it lies in knitting posi tionupon a number of adjacent needles being retracted to knit at apredetermined place in respect to the needles, whereby to cause thesevered end to lie in the plane of the knit fabric.

ll.'A knitting machine having therein a series of needles and means foroperating them to knit a plurality of yarns, and means for severing oneof said yarns while lying in knitting position on said needles at apredetermined place in and on the series of needles.

12. A knitting machine having therein needles and a yarn severingweb-holder cooperating with needles actuated to knit to sever a yarn atthe needles.

13. A knitting machine having needle and cam-carriers adapted forrelative movement, and a yarn-severing novice operating on yarn on theneedles fixed in the direction of said relative motion with respect tothe position of active needles in the needlecarrier. i

14:. A knitting machine having a rotary needle carrier and a yarnsevering device rotating therewith in position to sever a yarn betweencertain adjacent needles.

15. A knitting machine having in combination needles, web-holders, and ayarnsevering web-holder adapted to sever a yarn between adjacentneedles.

16. A knittingmachine having in combination needles, web-holders, and ayarnsevering web-holder adapted to sever a yarn between adjacent needlesand to hold down the Web knit of another yarn.

17. A knitting machine having therein web-holders and means to actuatethem, one or said web-holders having thereon means for severing a yarn,and means for moving said severing web-holder diiterently from one ormore of the other web-holders.

18. A knitting machine having needles and means associated with theneedles for seizing at a particular needle a free end of yarn trailingin contact with the needles.

19. A knitting machine having needles and means cooperating with apredetermined needle only to cause said means and needle to take andhold for knitting a free end of yarn.

20. A knitting machine having needles, web-holders, and a yarn-seizingweb-holder adapted to cause entrance of a free end of yarn trailing atthe needles.

21. In a knitting machine, a yarn-seizing web-holder having thereonmeans adapted to cooperate with a needle to hold an end of yarn.

22. A knitting machine having in combination needles and a yarn-guideadapted to hold in trailing contact with the needles a loose end ofyarn, and means associated with a predetermined needle to cause said.needle to seize and knit said loose end of yarn.

23. A knitting machine having therein eb-holders and means to actuatethem, one of said web-holders having thereon means for seizing a yarn,and means for moving said seizing Web-holder differently from one ormore of the other web-holders.

2%. A knitting machine having in combination needles, a yarn-guide, apattern operated connection for moving said yarnguide to and from anoperative position, means for clamping the yarn, and means co operatingwith said connection to release the yarn supplied by said yarn-guidewhile in said position.

25. A knitting machine having in combination needles, a yarn-guide, apattern operated connection for moving said yarnguide to and fromoperative position, and means relatively fixed in respect to the needies cooperating with said connection to clamp and release the yarnsupplied by said yarn-guide while in said position at the passage ofpredetermined needles.

Signed by me at New York, N. this 26th day of June, 1917.

ROBERT lV. SCOTT.

